Sand trap for oil wells



Jan. 5, 1954 G. F. LE Bus SAND TRAP FOR om WELLS Filed June 3, 1950 INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE SAND TRAP Fon oIL WELLS George F. Lanus, wichita Fails, Tex. Application June s, 1950, serial No. 165,987

3 Claims.

y This invention relates to improvements in sand traps and more particularly to sand` traps that are positioned within the length of tubing intermediate the top of the well and the pump that is positioned therein.

The present trap serves notonly to entrap any sand that may pass through the pump and up through the tubing, but also serves to entrap scale and other foreign particles that fall downward While the rods are being run into the well,

An object of this invention is to provide a sand trap to be positioned within a length of tubing above the well pump, and the rods of which pump pass through the trap so as to divert foreign particles into the sand trap, that `would otherwise fall from the interior of the tubing and from the rods into the pump.

Another object of this invention isto provide a sand trap in which theaxial opening `of the tubing is substantially closed except when the `oil is passing upward therethrough.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a sand trap having a flexible closure positioned on the rods for closing the axial opening in the trap, which closure may be insertedor'removed with the rods, yet allow liquid to pass upwardly by the closure.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a secondary sand trap which may beinstalled above the pump and regular trap, and which secondary sand trap may utilize one or more units or sections according to the demands and conditions of the particular well in which it is used.

An embodiment of this invention is illustrated and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

With more detailed reference to the drawing the numeral I designates a deep Well having a casing 2 therein. The tubing 3 is positioned within thecasing 2 and carries a pump 4 near the lower end thereof, and has the usual operating rods R. It is the general practice to provide a sand trap 5 below the pump 4 to clean the incoming oil of sand before it enters the pump, however the most efficient sand trap does not remove (Cl. S- 220) 2 the entire sand content from the oil before it passes through the pump, nor does it keep the pump free of scale and foreign matter that falls downward from the interior of the tubing and from the rods as the rods are being run into the Well.

The present trap, generally designated by the numeral 6, is positioned above the pump within the length of the tubing either in single' or multiple units, vat the desired spacing as indicated by the content and condition of the oil being pumped from the well in which the trap is being used.

The sand trap Ii is comprised of an upper neck portion 'I of suitable size for connection to tubing 3 and is belled out at 8 to threadably engage an enlarged trap portion or shell I0. The shell section I0 may be of any desired length, or it may be made up of more than one section, the sections being screw threaded together, the uppermost of which is secured to the lbelled member 8 and the lower end is secured at l I in uid tight relation to la pipe l2 that vis threaded at its lower end either for connection with the pump 4 or with a length of tubing 3.

The pipe `Il! extends upward a substantial distance into the shell ID and has its upper end I3 rounded or beveled inwardly so as to form a vguide for guiding a closure member I4 into and through the pipe I2, when a multiplicity of units are used within the length of tubing 3, or the beveled' end I3 can serve as a seat for the flexible rings I5 when in pumping position. Set collars I6 and I1 are' positioned on the pump rod R and are spaced above and below the closure member I4 substantially the length of the stroke of the pump rod R. It is preferable to have the closure member, generally'designated at I4, made up of axial bolt I8, spacers I9 and annular rings I5 4which are secured -in place by a nut 2l screw threaded into the hollow axial bolt or sleeve I8. The vaxial open',-j ing through the bolt or sleeve I8 is a slip t with' pump rod R, which prevents sand from passing downward therebetween.

Operation In the operation of the device, it is preferable to position the sand trap 5 below the pump 4, which sand trap 5 normally entra-ps the greaterr portion of the sand from the oil 'as it. passes into, the tubing 3, however, in some cases, the volume. of oil or uid passing through the sand trap 5 is so great that some of the sand will be carried into the tubing 3 and, if not trapped, will settle out of the oil within the tubing onto the pump plunger and cause the plunger to stick, which necessitates pulling the tubing to free the plunger. Nor will the trap 5 keep the scale and foreign matter from falling downward into the pump while the rods are being run into the well.

The secondary trap 6 is installed immediately above the pump, and for wells producing considerable sand, the trap will take care of the settling of the sand between the trap and the top of the well, and will also catch, before it reaches the pump, the sand and foreign matter that falls from the rods as they are being run, and from the interior of the tubing.

The trap 6 may be of any desired length so long as the annular space formed between pipe I2 and shell I0 has suiiicient capacity to retain sand and settlings out of the oil over a considerable period of pumping time before the tubing and the traps must be removed to clean the sand and scale from the traps` The set collars I6 and I'I are preferably securedon pump rod R above and below, respectively, the closure member I4 a suicient distance apart and from closure I4 so as not to move closure I4 from the beveled seat I3. The set collars I6 and Il act as guides to remove the closure member I4 from the well or to push it down into the trap from the top thereof. The closure remains seated on beveled seat I3 at all times, except when there is sufficient fluid pressure to raise the closure from the seat and allow the fluid to pass therebetween.

While it is shown that only the bottom-most Washer I5 seats on bevel portion I3, it is to be understood that several of the washers I5 are providedbecause when the first washer becomes worn due to the action of the fluid thereagainst, it will drop down into the pipe and the second washer willfseat on the beveled seat I3, and so on, which will extend the life of the closure member I4 much longer than the life of one washer and thus obviate the necessity of pulling the rods to replace the member I4 and the Washer member.

It is to be pointed out that the trap is run into the Well on the tubing and that the pump is run into the Well on the rods, with the closure member I4 positioned approximately ten feet above the pump, and that the secondary trap catches and retains the scale within the tubing and sand and foreign matter on the rods so that it will not reach the pump, because in the pumping of deep Wells, metal to metal pumps are necessary, and the abrasive action of sand, scale, and foreign matter is very detrimental to the metal parts of the pump.

While the invention has been described and claimed in one embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that changes may be made in the minor details of construction and adaptations made to varying working conditions, without departing from the spirit of 'the invention. 'as claimed.- y y ,Having thus clearly shown and described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A sand trap for use in a pumping oil Well having casing, tubing, pump rods and a pump therein, said sand trap being positioned within a length of tubing directly above said pump and connected therewith, said pump rods being adapted to pass through said trap, said trap comprising a shell of larger diameter than said tubing for forming an annular sand receiving chambertherein, a tubular member, a series of exible disk closure means having axial openings therethrough sleeved over and spaced along said tubular member and secured in fixed relation with respect thereto, said tubular member being sleeved around one of said pump rods so as to permit limited axial movement of said pump rod with respect to said tubular member and said flexible vdisk closure means so said pump rod may reciprocate therein during normal pumping operation, said flexible disk closure means being adapted to deflect sand and foreign matter outward into said trap, and an abutment formed on said pump rod below said tubular member so as to lift said tubular member upon the removal of said pump rods from said well.

2. A sand trap for use in deep wells having tubing, pump rods and a pump therein, which sand trap is attached to said tubing of said well above said pump therein and to have said pump rods pass therethrough, said sand tra-p comprising a shell of greater diameter than the diameter of said tubing, an upstanding pipe within said shell forming an annular sand receiving chamber between said shell and said upstanding pipe, a valved closure positioned about said pump rods, said valved closure having a series of flexible closure elements spaced thereon and secured thereto and extending outwardly for complementary seating relation with said upstanding pipe, and an abutting means secured to said pump rods below and above said valved closure for abutting with said valved closure so upon removal of said pump rods from said Well or insertion thereinto said valved closure will be removed and inserted with said pump rods, yet a limited longitudinal movement is permitted said pump rods without moving said valve closure when said valved closure is seated upon said upstanding pipe.

3. In a sand trap system for use in deep wells having a working barrel having a plunger therein, tubing and a pump rod, a primary sand trap positioned below said working barrel and connected thereto and adapted to admit liquid thereinto from the exterior thereof, a secondary sand trap `positioned above and connected to said Working barrel and also connected to said tubing, said pump rod adapted to pass through said secondary sand trap and to connect to said plunger in said working barrel, a movable means forming a valved closure sleeved over said pump rod for closing a passage leading into said Working barrel to divert foreign particles outward therefrom into said secondary sand trap and an abutting member formed on said pump rod above and below said valved closure means to abut with said valved closure for removal or insertion of the valved closure means upon removal of said pump rods from said well or insertion of said pump rod into said well yet permitting a limited vlongitudinal movement of said pump rods with respect to said valved closure While said closure is seated and while said pump rods are reciprocating for pumping action.

GEORGE F. LE BUS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,629,792 Hunter May 24, 1927 1,772,946 Hirst Aug. 12, 1930 1,933,014 Hirst Oct. 3l, 1933 2,174,805 Raulerson Oct. 3, 1939 2,222,897 Cubbon Nov. 26, 1940 

